Hydrogen Gas Inhalation Alleviates Airway Inflammation and Oxidative Stress on Ovalbumin-Induced Asthmatic BALB/c Mouse Model

Abstract

Airway inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, are a global public health concern owing to their chronic inflammatory effects on the respiratory mucosa. Molecular hydrogen (H2) has recently been recognized for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, we examined the therapeutic potential of H2 in airway inflammation using an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced BALB/c mouse model of allergic asthma. Female BALB/c mice were sensitized and challenged with OVA to induce airway inflammation, and 30 mice were randomly divided into five groups: NT (non-treatment), HTC (3% H2 treatment only), NC (negative control, OVA only), PC (positive control, OVA + intranasal 1 mg/mL salbutamol 50 µL), and HT (H2 treatment, OVA + inhaled 3% H2). Various inflammatory and oxidative stress (OS)-induced markers such as white blood cells (WBCs) and their differential counts, lung histology, cytokine levels such as interleukin (IL)-4, (IL)-5, (IL)-13, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), (IL)-10, reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT), and total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were investigated. Our results showed that inhaled H2 significantly reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, OS markers, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression while upregulating antioxidant enzyme activity. Furthermore, H2 also significantly decreased serum IgE levels, a marker of allergic inflammation. Collectively, our findings suggest that H2 inhalation is a promising treatment option for airway inflammation, offering a novel approach with potential clinical applications.

Study details

Article type

Original Research

Disease / injury model

Ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma (mouse model)

Duration

15 days

Dose comparison

Only one concentration of hydrogen gas (3%) was used; no dose/concentration comparison was performed.

Dose-dependent effect

No

Outcome

Positive

Findings

Inhalation of 3% hydrogen gas significantly reduced airway inflammation, oxidative stress markers, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, while increasing antioxidant enzyme activity and reducing serum IgE in an ovalbumin-induced asthmatic mouse model. This suggests hydrogen inhalation is a promising therapeutic option for allergic airway inflammation.